Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2904-20.

The Gavler Review.

Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2904-20 Review: The Drill That Wins When Masonry Is Involved

The Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2904-20 sits at number two on our Best Power Drills list with a 9.7, and it earns that ranking on one capability the rank-1 pick doesn't have: a dedicated hammer mode. 1,400 in-lbs of torque from Milwaukee's POWERSTATE brushless motor, a four-mode DRIVE CONTROL selector, and up to 32,000 blows per minute in hammer mode — work into concrete, brick, and block that a standard drill simply cannot do. All of that in a bare tool that weighs just 3.3 pounds, which is remarkably light for its torque class. Buy it if you drill masonry more than a few times a year, or if you're already deep in the Milwaukee M18 ecosystem. If your work is almost entirely wood and fasteners, the DeWalt DCD801B — our Best Power Drills rank-1 pick — is the more practical buy at a lower price and a lighter body.

What it actually is

This is the bare-tool version of Milwaukee's flagship hammer drill, built around the POWERSTATE brushless motor that Milwaukee tunes specifically for high-torque, high-durability professional use. The headline number is 1,400 in-lbs of torque — roughly two and a half times the 550 in-lbs of the standard DeWalt DCD801B — paired with REDLINK Plus intelligence, a battery-to-tool communication system that manages overload protection and prevents over-discharging the battery pack.

The feature that actually defines this drill's identity, though, is the four-mode DRIVE CONTROL selector: drill, hammer, screw, and AUTOSTOP for self-tapping screws. The hammer mode is the reason this tool exists as a separate product from Milwaukee's non-hammer drills — it delivers up to 32,000 BPM through a 1/2-inch metal chuck, which is what actually breaks through concrete, brick, and block. At $229 for the bare tool, it costs about $10 more than the DeWalt DCD801B bare tool, a genuinely small premium for real masonry capability.

In use

The torque and weight numbers here are doing something unusual — normally more torque means more bulk, and Milwaukee found a way around that trade-off. At 3.3 pounds bare tool, the M18 FUEL 2904-20 is, per Milwaukee's own positioning and independent testing, the lightest hammer drill in its torque class. That combination — class-leading torque without the weight penalty you'd expect — is the single biggest reason this drill earns a 9.7 despite being outranked by the lighter-duty DeWalt on Gavler's overall list.

Pro Tool Reviews named Milwaukee the best cordless power toolmaker of 2026, and the M18 FUEL hammer drill anchors that ranking specifically. Reviewed's assessment is more workmanlike but just as telling: "A reliable workhorse of a tool — the kind of drill professionals build their kit around." That's the core distinction between this drill and the DeWalt DCD801B — the DeWalt is designed to be the best all-around drill for the widest range of buyers, while the M18 FUEL is designed to be the drill a working tradesperson reaches for when the job includes masonry, and doesn't want to carry a second tool for it.

SlashGear's three-way comparison between Milwaukee, DeWalt, and Makita puts it plainly: "The Milwaukee M18 FUEL wins on raw torque in the three-way decision between Milwaukee, DeWalt, and Makita." That's a spec win, and specs matter here specifically because the use case — masonry, dense material, repeated heavy-duty fastening — actually calls on that extra torque, unlike the general-purpose case the DeWalt is built for.

Where it shines

• A hammer mode the category's default drill doesn't have. Up to 32,000 BPM is real drilling capability into concrete, brick, and block — work that stalls or fails outright on a standard drill, and the single biggest reason to choose this tool over the rank-1 pick on Gavler's list.
• Class-leading torque without the expected weight penalty. 1,400 in-lbs at 3.3 pounds bare tool is an unusually good ratio; normally a torque number this high comes bolted to a much heavier tool.
• REDLINK Plus battery intelligence. Overload protection and battery-to-tool communication that prevents over-discharge is the kind of durability feature that matters more the harder a tool gets used — exactly the profile of the buyer this drill is built for.
• The M18 platform runs deep in the trades. Over 250 compatible tools, plus dedicated trade-specific subcategories — the M12 lineup for plumbers and electricians, the MX FUEL lineup for heavy concrete work — mean this drill slots into an already-serious professional kit.

The trade-offs — who should skip it

This is the right tool for masonry and heavy-duty professional work, not the default recommendation for most buyers, and the honest reasons to buy something else are specific:

• You don't drill masonry regularly. 1,400 in-lbs is more drill than roughly 60 percent of buyers need 99 percent of the time. If your work is wood, drywall, and general fastening, that torque headroom goes largely unused.
• You're not on the Milwaukee M18 platform. If you don't already own M18 batteries, the platform-loyalty argument for choosing Milwaukee over DeWalt disappears, and the comparison becomes a straight spec-and-price decision.
• You want the lightest, cheapest all-around drill. The DeWalt DCD801B is $10 cheaper, covers the same general torque envelope most buyers actually use, and does it with a marginally larger battery ecosystem for the price-sensitive, wood-and-fasteners buyer.

How it compares

The M18 FUEL 2904-20's closest and most relevant comparison sits at rank 1 on the same list: the DeWalt DCD801B, which Gavler's own review of that drill frames explicitly around this exact trade-off — the DeWalt is the 90/10 general-purpose pick, while Milwaukee's M18 FUEL is the drill reviewers consistently recommend once masonry enters the picture. At rank 3, the Makita XPH14Z rounds out the category's three-way race with its own loyal following among pros already invested in that platform. The Milwaukee's case isn't that it's the better drill for everyone — it's that it's the correct drill for anyone whose work regularly includes concrete, brick, or block, full stop.

The Gavler verdict

A 9.7, with an expert-to-community score gap (97 vs 95) that mostly reflects the same honest trade-off running through this whole review: hammering capability is genuinely overkill for buyers who never drill masonry. For the buyer it's built for — regular masonry work, or an existing investment in the Milwaukee M18 ecosystem's 250-plus tools — the M18 FUEL 2904-20 is close to unbeatable, delivering class-leading torque in a body that's lighter than the category norm. For the buyer who drills wood and drives screws almost exclusively, the DeWalt DCD801B remains the smarter dollar. Know which buyer you are before you check out.

Common Questions

Is the Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2904-20 worth it in 2026?

It depends on what you drill. It ranks second on Gavler's Best Power Drills list with a 9.7, and the case for it is specific: 1,400 in-lbs of torque and a 32,000 BPM hammer mode that handles masonry work the standard DeWalt and Makita drills simply cannot do. If you drill into concrete, brick, or block more than a few times a year, or you're already on the Milwaukee M18 platform, it's the right pick. If your work is almost exclusively wood and fasteners, the DeWalt DCD801B is the smarter dollar.

What is the difference between hammer mode and regular drilling?

Hammer mode adds a rapid pulsing, forward-and-back motion to the drill bit's rotation — up to 32,000 blows per minute on the M18 FUEL 2904-20 — which is what lets a masonry bit actually break through concrete, brick, and block. Standard drill mode, the only mode a non-hammer drill like the DeWalt DCD801B has, spins the bit without that pulsing action, which works fine in wood and metal but stalls or fails outright in masonry.

Milwaukee M18 FUEL or DeWalt DCD801B?

Buy the Milwaukee if you drill masonry regularly or you're already invested in the M18 platform's 250-plus compatible tools. Buy the DeWalt if you drill almost exclusively into wood and drive screws — reviewers consistently note that 1,400 in-lbs of torque is more drill than roughly 60 percent of buyers need 99 percent of the time, and the DeWalt saves 10 dollars while covering that mainstream case with less bulk.

Is 1,400 in-lbs of torque overkill for most people?

For most home and light-duty use, yes, and that's an honest trade-off rather than a criticism. Pro Tool Reviews and others rate the M18 FUEL's torque as class-leading for handling 1/2-inch lag bolts and 1-inch hole saws without bogging, but that headroom is built for demanding professional work. A buyer who drives deck screws and hangs shelves will rarely, if ever, use the top of that range.